Lock attachment for snap-switches.



' (L D. PLATT.

LOCK ATTACHMENT, FOR SNAP SWITCHES. 'APPi-IOATION-FILBD PEBJQ, 1913.

1,078,693. Patented Nov. 13, 1913.

' I 84 1 V: 75 l5 WITNESSES: I j ki I I ww &,Q/a' 21km- BY A TTORNEV fis err-ion cnannncnn, share, as estimat ons, commodities.

' TLOGEh'iTACHMEIQT rensnar-swrrcnss.

Specifications}? Letters Patent. Application-filedFebruary-12;i913? sea-1m. 1 2mm 2 0 all whom it may concern 7 Be it known'that I, Cmnnnce I). PLATT,

'acitizen of the United Statesresiding at Bridgeport; county of Fairfield, State of 5 Connecticut, have invented an Improvement in Lock Attachments for Snap-Switches, of

' which the following is a specification This invention relates to electric snap switches and has for one object to provide a "key actuated member for operating switches of this character i by which the switch may be easily operated by an authorized'person to open or .close thecircuit, but which will be extremely ditlic ult of manual operation v-unauthorized' persons.

Another 0 'ect of the invention is to pro- I ride-means whereby the'insertion ofthe operating 'key will be facilitated; as when.

it is necessary to operate the switch inthe dark.

With these and other objects in View I have devised a novel switch operating'means which I will now describe, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing forming a part ofs this specification, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a switch provided'with operating means constructed. in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof; Fig, 3 is a plan view and Fig. 4 a section of the operating means detached; Figsfii and 6- are views similar to Figs. 3 and 4, illustrating a modified form of the guard member; Fig.7 is a detail view of the key employed for actuat ing the switch.

10 denotes the base an ordinary snap switch comprising a switch plate 12 operated by a spindle 13 to make manually operatedjturn-button is usually at- 15 denotes the key-actuated switch open a'ting member forminga part-of the present inversion and which-is provided with an 1 internally threaded shank- 16 adaptedto he screwed into place on. the threaded endot I the switch spindle 13. The -operating" mem- "bcr 15 is preferably round inoutline, is,

'--'-f ormed with a smooth surface so asto he and 11 the cover of i with diilicu'lty grasped by-the fingers, and

is provided with a" pair of openings 17 which may be-eitheranguiar; as sh'ownin Fig. 3, or circularasshown in Fig: and which are adapted for engagement by theprongs 252 of a her- 9], such asthat SllQWhflIl Fig. 7. 18' denotes a guardmember loosely mounted on the sham'lt' 16 and provided with an edge portioir-hr flange 19 surrounding the edge o'f 'saidioperating member. Said edge portion 19 lies immediately adjacent the rammed new 18, 1913.

edge of said operating member and projects slight'lv beyond the outer face thereof. In-- asmuch" as the guard memher'lS is loosely mounted on 'the shank 16. and inasmuch as the flange 1'9 thereon entirely'surrounds and partly incloses the op'erating'- member 15. it will be seen that it will be possible to turn said operating member by hand.

practically i'm- The operating member 15 is provided with aprojecting center 20 from which the surrounding; outer surface of said member ifs-inclined outwardly and backwardly toward the'edge of said member. This construction, combined with the projecting tlange lt) surrounding said operating memher. greatly facilitates the insertion of the T key- 21; since the projections '22 thereon, upon striking the outer face of-said operatinn"member. will naturally slide outwardly thereon until they are arrested by the flange 19. whereupon turning of the key will cause said projections to encounter and enter the openings ll".-

23 denotes a spring washer mounted 'on the shank 16 beneath the guard member 18 and 24 a fiber washer interposed between the spring washer 23 and the switch'cover 11. The spring washer :23 performs the double functiono'f holding the guard member L8 in close engace'mentwith the operatin: member 15 'andof holding the switch cover 11 in close engagement with the base 10. The purpose of the fiber'washer' 24 is to prevent undue friction between the spring washer and the switch cover. 25 denotes apreferably conical enlargement or head formed on the end of the shank 16,- said head being of slightly greater diameter than that of the opening in the. fiber washer 24:, so that when said fiberwasher is forced over said head it will be retained in place on the shank'lfi and serve also to retain the springwasher 24 and guard memberlS in assembled position.

"and j-fiber wash'er24 are housed and con- 'tain.oi:' its fe'atures,'is in the nature of a modification of that disclosed in an appli- ,cation for Letters-Patent. filed byme Feb; 12, 1913 SerialNo. 747,912. Having th s described my invention I 'iSfcLaim: r

- K1,. In. a snap switch,-the combination with a switch spindle, of an operating member for said spindle provided adjacent its edge withopenings: folengagement by a key,

the outer face of'said member being formed 'j'with aprojecting center and with an out-- wardly and backwardly inclined surface surrounding said center.

2. In a snap switch, the combination with a switch spindle, of an operating member for said spindle provided adjacent its edge I with openings for engagement by a key, the

outer face of said member being formed with a projecting center and with an out-. Wardly amh backwardly nclined surface surroundlng said center, and a flange sur-.

rounding the edge of said'member and projecting beyond said outer face. The invention above described, as'to'cer- 3. In a snap switch, the combination with a switch spindle, of an operating member for said spindle provided adjacent its edge with openings for engagement by a key, theputer face of-said member beingformed with a projecting center and with fan outwa rdly' and backwardly inclined .surface surrounding said center, and a guard member loosely mounted adjacent said operating -member and having an edge portion surrounding the edge of said operating member and projecting beyond the outer face thereof. In testimony WhereofI affix my signature in presence of two witnesses;

' CLARENCE D. PLATT.

Witnesses:

' EDLA M. .CULVER, S. W. ATHERTON. 

